Join us as we celebrate National Nurses Week from May 6th through May 12th – an annual recognition of the dedication nurses embody and the compassionate care they show to their patients daily.
The story of Nurses Week
Nurses Week was first celebrated in October 1954 to mark the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s mission to Crimea. Nightingale was a British nurse, social reformer and statistician recognized as the founder of modern nursing.
In 1974, President Richard Nixon proclaimed that one week in May would be celebrated as National Nurses Week.
Later, in 1993, the American Nurses Association Board of Directors declared that May 6th – 12th would be the official dates – coinciding with National Nurses Day on May 6th and Florence Nightingale’s birthday on May 12th.
In addition to National Nurses Day, Nurses Week includes National Student Nurses Day (May 8th) and National School Nurse Day (May 8th).
Shining a light on the nation’s nurses
This year, the American Nurses Association is sponsoring the #NursesLightUpTheSky campaign, designed to rally citizens nationwide in support of nurses. Buildings and landmarks across the country will be lit up to illuminate the spirit of nursing excellence.
During Nurses Week or the month of May, 24 landmarks will be illuminated, including Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR and the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in South Nyack, NY.
Visit the American Nurses Association site for the complete list of #NursesLightUpTheSky locations.
Recognizing Maxim’s Novice Nurses: Locker and Lexi’s story
At Maxim, we support nurses at all stages of their careers—from new grads to experienced nurses looking to take on more leadership tasks. Our Novice Nurse Program is designed to provide RNs, LPNs and LVNs with less than one year of experience with a year of hands-on learning and support.
Novice Nurses are partnered with more experienced nurses who provide feedback and training in patient homes. Being a Maxim Novice Nurse also entitles you to mentorship and professional development opportunities.
One such nurse is Alexis “Lexi” Love, LPN. Lexi completed clinical rotations with Maxim patients during college and joined Maxim as a Novice Nurse after completing school.
She works under the supervision of several nurses, including Megan Shrader, RN and Clinical Supervisor, who managed the college partnership that Lexi participated in and has followed Lexi since her first day in the Novice Nurse Program.
Lexi and the rest of the nursing team care for Locker, a boy with intractable epilepsy, Crohn’s disease and severe brain damage. Because of these conditions, Locker needs a high level of care and assistance with his daily activities.
Canice, Locker’s mother, shared, “I felt very confident in seeing the skills that were brought into the home in caring for my son. I was very impressed with the amount of knowledge that a new nurse would have – or a nurse in general would have.”
She continued, “My husband and I lead very busy lives. We both have jobs. We have two other children that require lots of things in their daily life for us to attend, and we can just trust that Locker is in great hands at home with his nurses, that he’s getting the companionship and the health care that he needs and deserves.”
In her time on Locker’s nursing team, Lexi has built a strong connection with him and enhanced her nursing skills. “I chose to be a home care nurse because of the one-on-one time I get to have with my patient and the connection and bond that develops while I’m working with them.”
Watch our Nurses Week video to learn more about Lexi and the other Maxim nurses who make a difference in Locker’s life every day!
*Patient information/likeness used with the consent of the family*
